Translation of the meanings of surah An-Nahl (1)

(1) (1) The command of Allāh is coming,[690] so be not impatient for it. Exalted is He and high above what they associate with Him.

[690]- Literally, "has come," indicating the certainty and nearness of the Last Hour.

(2) (2) He sends down the angels, with the inspiration [i.e., revelation] of His command, upon whom He wills of His servants, [telling them], "Warn that there is no deity except Me; so fear Me."

(3) (3) He created the heavens and earth in truth. High is He above what they associate with Him.

(4) (4) He created man from a sperm-drop; then at once[691] he is a clear adversary.

[691]- As soon as he becomes strong and independent.

(5) (5) And the grazing livestock He has created for you; in them is warmth[692] and [numerous] benefits, and from them you eat.

[692]- i.e., in clothing, tents, furnishings, etc.

(6) (6) And for you in them is [the enjoyment of] beauty when you bring them in [for the evening] and when you send them out [to pasture].

(7) (7) And they carry your loads to a land you could not have reached except with difficulty to yourselves. Indeed, your Lord is Kind and Merciful.

(8) (8) And [He created] the horses, mules and donkeys for you to ride and [as] adornment. And He creates that which you do not know.

(9) (9) And upon Allāh[693] is the direction of the [right] way, and among them [i.e., the various paths] are those deviating. And if He willed, He could have guided you all.

[693]- Allāh (Subḥānahu wa ta‘ālā) has taken it upon Himself to guide man to the right path. The meaning has also been interpreted as "To Allāh..."

(10) (10) It is He who sends down rain from the sky; from it is drink and from it is foliage in which you pasture [animals].

(11) (11) He causes to grow for you thereby the crops, olives, palm trees, grapevines, and of all the fruits. Indeed in that is a sign for a people who give thought.

(12) (12) And He has subjected for you the night and day and the sun and moon, and the stars are subjected by His command. Indeed in that are signs for a people who reason.

(13) (13) And [He has subjected] whatever He multiplied for you on the earth of varying colors. Indeed in that is a sign for a people who remember.

(14) (14) And it is He who subjected the sea for you to eat from it tender meat and to extract from it ornaments which you wear. And you see the ships plowing through it, and [He subjected it] that you may seek of His bounty; and perhaps you will be grateful.

(15) (15) And He has cast into the earth firmly set mountains, lest it shift with you, and [made] rivers and roads, that you may be guided,

(16) (16) And landmarks. And by the stars they are [also] guided.[694]

[694]- Through the desert or the sea at night.

(17) (17) Then is He who creates like one who does not create? So will you not be reminded?

(18) (18) And if you should count the favors of Allāh, you could not enumerate them. Indeed, Allāh is Forgiving and Merciful.

(19) (19) And Allāh knows what you conceal and what you declare.

(20) (20) And those they invoke other than Allāh create nothing, and they [themselves] are created.

(21) (21) They are [in fact] dead,[695] not alive, and they do not perceive when they will be resurrected.

[695]- i.e., inanimate or without understanding.

(22) (22) Your god is one God. But those who do not believe in the Hereafter - their hearts are disapproving, and they are arrogant.

(23) (23) Assuredly, Allāh knows what they conceal and what they declare. Indeed, He does not like the arrogant.

(24) (24) And when it is said to them, "What has your Lord sent down?" they say, "Legends of the former peoples,"

(25) (25) That they may bear their own burdens [i.e., sins] in full on the Day of Resurrection and some of the burdens of those whom they misguide without [i.e., by lack of] knowledge. Unquestionably, evil is that which they bear.

(26) (26) Those before them had already plotted, but Allāh came at [i.e., uprooted] their building from the foundations, so the roof fell upon them from above them,[696] and the punishment came to them from where they did not perceive.

[696]- i.e., Allāh caused their plan to fail and exposed their plot.

(27) (27) Then on the Day of Resurrection He will disgrace them and say, "Where are My 'partners' for whom you used to oppose [the believers]?" Those who were given knowledge will say, "Indeed disgrace, this Day, and evil are upon the disbelievers" -

(28) (28) The ones whom the angels take in death [while] wronging themselves,[697] and [who] then offer submission, [saying], "We were not doing any evil." But, yes! Indeed, Allāh is Knowing of what you used to do.

[697]- i.e., having made punishment due to them for their numerous sins and crimes.

(29) (29) So enter the gates of Hell to abide eternally therein, and how wretched is the residence of the arrogant.

(30) (30) And it will be said to those who feared Allāh, "What did your Lord send down?" They will say, "[That which is] good." For those who do good in this world is good; and the home of the Hereafter is better. And how excellent is the home of the righteous -

(31) (31) Gardens of perpetual residence, which they will enter, beneath which rivers flow. They will have therein whatever they wish. Thus does Allāh reward the righteous -

(32) (32) The ones whom the angels take in death, [being] good and pure; [the angels] will say, "Peace be upon you. Enter Paradise for what you used to do."

(33) (33) Do they [i.e., the disbelievers] await except that the angels should come to them or there comes the command of your Lord? Thus did those do before them. And Allāh wronged them not, but they had been wronging themselves.

(34) (34) So they were struck by the evil consequences of what they did and were enveloped by what they used to ridicule.

(35) (35) And those who associate others with Allāh say, "If Allāh had willed, we would not have worshipped anything other than Him, neither we nor our fathers, nor would we have forbidden anything through other than Him." Thus did those do before them. So is there upon the messengers except [the duty of] clear notification?

(36) (36) And We certainly sent into every nation a messenger, [saying], "Worship Allāh and avoid ṭāghūt."[698] And among them were those whom Allāh guided, and among them were those upon whom error was [deservedly] decreed. So proceed [i.e., travel] through the earth and observe how was the end of the deniers.

[698]- False objects of worship.

(37) (37) [Even] if you should strive for their guidance, [O Muḥammad], indeed, Allāh does not guide those He sends astray,[699] and they will have no helpers.

[699]- As a result of their choice to reject guidance.

(38) (38) And they swear by Allāh their strongest oaths [that] Allāh will not resurrect one who dies. But yes - [it is] a true promise [binding] upon Him, but most of the people do not know.

(39) (39) [It is] so He will make clear to them [the truth of] that wherein they differ and so those who have disbelieved may know that they were liars.

(40) (40) Indeed, Our word to a thing when We intend it is but that We say to it, "Be," and it is.

(41) (41) And those who emigrated for [the cause of] Allāh after they had been wronged - We will surely settle them in this world in a good place; but the reward of the Hereafter is greater, if only they could know.

(42) (42) [They are] those who endured patiently and upon their Lord relied.

(43) (43) And We sent not before you except men to whom We revealed [Our message]. So ask the people of the message [i.e., former scriptures] if you do not know.

(44) (44) [We sent them] with clear proofs and written ordinances. And We revealed to you the message [i.e., the Qur’ān] that you may make clear to the people what was sent down to them and that they might give thought.

(45) (45) Then, do those who have planned evil deeds feel secure that Allāh will not cause the earth to swallow them or that the punishment will not come upon them from where they do not perceive?

(46) (46) Or that He would not seize them during their [usual] activity, and they could not cause failure [i.e., escape from Him]?

(47) (47) Or that He would not seize them gradually [in a state of dread]?[700] But indeed, your Lord is Kind and Merciful.[701]

[700]- i.e., being aware of what is about to strike them after having seen those near them succumb. [701]- Postponing deserved punishment and giving opportunities for repentance.

(48) (48) Have they not considered what things Allāh has created? Their shadows incline to the right and to the left, prostrating to Allāh, while they [i.e., those creations] are humble.

(49) (49) And to Allāh prostrates whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth of creatures, and the angels [as well], and they are not arrogant.

(50) (50) They fear their Lord above them, and they do what they are commanded.

(51) (51) And Allāh has said, "Do not take for yourselves two[702] deities. He [i.e., Allāh] is but one God, so fear only Me."

[702]- Meaning more than one.

(52) (52) And to Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and the earth, and to Him is [due] worship constantly. Then is it other than Allāh that you fear?

(53) (53) And whatever you have of favor - it is from Allāh. Then when adversity touches you, to Him you cry for help.

(54) (54) Then when He removes the adversity from you, at once a party of you associates others with their Lord

(55) (55) So they will deny what We have given them. Then enjoy yourselves, for you are going to know.

(56) (56) And they assign to what they do not know[703] [i.e., false deities] a portion of that which We have provided them. By Allāh, you will surely be questioned about what you used to invent.

[703]- i.e., that of which they have no knowledge; rather, they have mere assumption based upon tradition or the claims of misguided men.

(57) (57) And they attribute to Allāh daughters[704] - exalted is He - and for them is what they desire [i.e., sons].

[704]- By claiming that the angels are His daughters.

(58) (58) And when one of them is informed of [the birth of] a female, his face becomes dark, and he suppresses grief.

(59) (59) He hides himself from the people because of the ill of which he has been informed. Should he keep it in humiliation or bury it in the ground? Unquestionably, evil is what they decide.

(60) (60) For those who do not believe in the Hereafter is the description [i.e., an attribute] of evil;[705] and for Allāh is the highest attribute. And He is Exalted in Might, the Wise.

[705]- Such as that described in the previous two verses.